Skein dyeing machine



July 31, 1951 E. A. sTlENEN 2,562,220

SKEIN DYEING MACHINE Filed Nov. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ERNEST. SWE/VEN INVENTOR.

y QM mfom July 31, 1951 Filed Nov. 1'7, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Fl G5 Fl Gr.17 35 26 l l W/ /25' 'Pl Q8 ERA/Es T SWE/VEN INVENTOR ATTORN EY Patented July 31, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SKEIN DYEING MACHINE Ernest A. Stienen, Peekskill, N. Y.

Application November 17, 1945, Serial No. 629,308

8 Claims.

My invention relates to skein dyeing machines and Vhas particular reference to machines for dyeing skeins of yarn or threads.

My invention has for its object to provide a. machine in the form of a tank arranged for holding a plurality of skeins on special racks on which the skeins can be conveniently dyed by closing the tank :and circulating a dyeing solution therethrough, whereupon the tank can be opened and the skeins removed therefrom. With my dyeing machine it is not necessary, therefore, to lift or otherwise handle any heavy parts of -the machine like in the machines of older types, and the dyeing process can be carried rapidly,` economically, and with the least labor.

:These and other objects, features and advantages of my invention are more fully described in the accompanying specication and drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevational View of my machine with the door open and the skein racks partly moved outwards for removing the skeins;`

Fig. 2 is a front view of the machine with the door removed for clearness;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational View of the same iny a closed position; and

. Fig. 4 is a front View of the machines with the door closed :and lo-cked.

Fig. 5 is a sectional front view of a modified machine;

ii Fig. 6 is a fractional sectional plan view of the same taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5;

Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional detail views of one pair of the upper and lower blocks which support rods on sticks for the skeins;

Fig. 9 is a fractional View of an assembly of the blocks and rods with skeins in a staggered position.

- My skein dyeing machine consists of a tank .I open at the front and closed at the rear by a Wall.2. A ilange 3 is provided at the front of the tank for a front door 4 supported'at one side by hinges 6. A sealing gasket 1 is placed on the front ange to provide a seal for the door. To draw the door tightly against the gasket, tapering bolts 8 are provided, slidably supported in bearings 9 secured to the door 4 and entering holes in brackets I0 extending from the side walls of the tank over the front flange 3. The inner. ends ofthe bolts are pivotally connected at II to the outer ends of rods` or sticks I2 with turnbuckles I3 for adjusting their length. The inner ends of the rods are pivotally connected at I6 to a disc I'I rotatively supported on a shaft i8 extending from the door 4. The disc I1 is connected to a handwheel I9. By turning the handwheel to the left, as shown in Fig. 4, the bolts are moved into the corresponding holes in the brackets I6, thereby drawing the door tightly against the rubber gasket 'I and hermetically sealing the tank.

The tank is provided inside with channelshaped rails 26 secured to the upper and lower inner corners of the tank as shown in Figs. l and 2. The channels are open at the sides and are provided with low anges 2I. A plurality of antifrietion rollers 22 are placed on the lower shelves of the channels for supporting sliding channel-shaped rails 24. These sliding rails can be moved outwards from the stationary rails 20 as shown in Fig. l. Blocks 25 at the ends of skein supporting bars 26 are placed in the slid-V ing channels. The bars or rods 26 are staggered as shown in Fig. 1.

The bars 26 can be conveniently assembled with the skeins on the pulled out sliding rails as shown in Fig. l, whereupon the sliding rails Y are pushed inside the tank I, and the door 4 closed and locked as was explained above'. A liquid dye solution is then pumped into the tank through a side opening 29 and a pipe 30, the liquid being exhausted through another side opening (not shown) and pipe 3 I, as is clearly evident in Fig. 2. The circulation can be periodically reversed to assure a uniform dyeing of the skeins. Upon completion of the dyeing process and after the liquid has been drained from the tank in any suitable manner, as through a drain pipe 32 (Fig. l) the door 4 is unlocked :and opened, and the sliding rails 24 pulled out to facilitate the removal of the blocks 25 with the rods 26 supporting the dyed skeins. The rods or sticks 26 can be made of sheet metal as shown in Figs. '7 and 8. Each rod has a wide base 35 and a narrow rounded edge 36 which supports the skeins as shown more clearly in Fig. 7.

The skeins can be staggered in my machine as shown in Fig. 9 when the number of the skeins is insufficient to place them side by side. The 'skeins in such a case are staggered or spaced so as to cause the dyeing solution to penetrate through the skeins as shown in arrows when the solution is circulated through the machine.

A modified machine is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The upper blocks 25 are supported on a horizontally disposed channel rail 38 sliding on rollers 22. The latter are mounted on a rail 39 secured to a plate 40 slidably supported between brackets 4| so that it can be adjusted vertically and clamped in place by a Wing nut 42 on a stud 43 extending from the plate 40. The lower rail 20 slides on rollers 22 mounted on a rail 45 secured to a plate 46. The latter slides between brackets 41 and is locked in place by a wing nut 42 on .a stud 43. Thus the `distance between the upper and lower blocks can be adjusted to suit different lengths of the skeins. The lower plate 46 also supports a supplementary rail 49 with rollers 59 spaced from the lower blocks 25. These additional rollers are useful if the skeins are shrunk and drawn to rods 26 towards each other, in which case the`lower blocks may glide over the rollers.. Shielding plates 5I are attached to the outer flanges of the rails 39 and 49 by wing nuts 52 or studs 53, to prevent the dyeing liquid from bypassing the skeins in the space between the rails. For adjusting the shielding plates when the rrails 39 and 40 are adjusted, the plates are provided with suitable slots for the studs 53.

It should be noted that the blocks should be assembled in abutment with each other and thin lengths should be so selected as to provide for a proper spacing between the lskeins and to avoid either their'compression or channeling of the dye solution between the skeins.

I have found that a more eiiective and uniform distribution of the dyeing solution over the skeins is obtained if the tank l is provided with an inclined false bottom 35 shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The liquid is admittedthrough a pipe above the inclined bottom and rises as shown by arrows towards the upper portion of the chamberfrom which it is exhausted through a pipe 3|. The direction of flow can be periodically reversed if desired. Drainage of the liquid in this instance can be obtained through the pipe 30 by placing the latter flush with the lowermost portion of the false bottom 35 or by a separate drain pipe .(not shown) suitably located.

It willbe understood that various features and principles -of each of the embodiments of the invention above described or referred to may be utilized or substituted in the other embodiments.

While the Vinvention has been described in detail with respectto certain particular vpreferred examples, it will be understood by those skilled in thefart after understanding the invention, that various changes and further modifications may be made without departing from the .spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended therefore Ain vthe appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A skein dyeingmachine comprising a tank open/at the front; ,a door vfor the opening; stationary railssupported at the side walls in the tank; movable rails slidably fitted` on the stationary rails; a plurality of blocks movably supported on the movable rails; rodsrigidly supported on oppositely disposed pairs of said blocks for.l supporting skeins to be dyed; and means to circulate-a dyeing liquid through the tank.

.2. A skein dyeingv machine comprisingfa tank 2i open at the front; a door for the opening; Stationary rails supported at the upper corners in the tank; stationary rails supported at the lower corners in the tank; movable rails slidably supported on the stationary rails a plurality of blocks carried by each of said movable rails; bars connecting each pair of oppositely located blocks a't the top of the tank; bars connecting each pair of the oppositely located blocks at the bottom of the tank, the upper and lower bars being adapted to support skeins to be dyed, said blocks and bars being slidably disposed on said movable rails; means to admit a dyeing liquid into the tank; and means to exhaust the dyeing liquid from the tank.

3. A skein dyeing machine comprising. a tank open at the front; a doorforv the opening; channel-shaped stationary rails supported in the inner upper corners of the tank; channel-shaped movable rails slidably supported on the stationary rails; blocks slidably supported in the movable rails; bars connecting each pair of the oppositely positioned blocks adapted to support skeins to be dyed grand pipesv connected to the tank for circulating a dyeing liquid through the tank.

4. A skein dyeing maphine comprising a tank open at the front; Va door for the opening; stationary rails supported in the upper and .lower inner corners of the tank; movable .rails-slidably' supported on the stationary rails; andhorizontal bars slidably supported on the. vmovable .rails adaptedV to support skeins to be dyed, thejtan'k being adapted to receive a dyeing liquid.

5. A skein dyeing .machine comprising a tank open at the front; a door for the opening; sta.. tionary rails supported in the upper'and lowerv inner corners of the tank; movable rails slidably supported on the stationary rails; blocks slidably supported on the movable rails; upper rods attached at the ends to oppositely located blocks on theupper rails; lower rods nattachedatthe ends to the oppositely lpositioned blocks on the lower movable rails, each pair of the vupperV and lower rods being adapted to support a plurality of skeins to be dyed, the tank being adapted to receive a dyeing liquid.

6. A skein dyeing machine comprising a tank open at the front; a door for Vthe opening; sta tionaryV rails supported in the upper and lower inner corners of the tank; movablerailszslidably supported on the stationary-rails; Vblocks vslidably supported on the movable rails; upper-rodsv-:zat tached at the ends to oppositelylocated blocksfon the upper rails; lower rods attached at the ends to the oppositely positioned blocks on `the .lower movable rails, each pair of the upper andflowen'. rods being adapted to support a plurality fof skeins to be dyed, the tank beingadapted to receiver; dyeing liquid, the rods lonfthe. successive .blocks being staggered in a'vertcal direction.: 1

7. A skein dyeing machine comprising .a tank open at the front; a door forthe opening;xsta tionary Vrails Ysupported at the .side Wallszof the tank; movable rails slidably tted on thestaztionary rails; a pluralityzof blocks movably .supported -on the movableI rails rods fsupportedfon the blocks for supporting skeinsY to be dyed;i=the tank having an-opening at the bottomfor..admit@ ting `a liquid intothe tank;A and a bottom:in.the tank under the opening, 'inclined'upwards for. causing the liquid to owfnpwards, the tank 'have' ing an-opening 'for exhausting the liquid.

8. A skein dyeing machine 1comprisinga tank open at theffront; .a door for the openingystae. tionary rails supported at .the iside wallsiof the' tank; movable'` rails slidably ttedconathet-V tionary rails; a plurality of blocks movably supported on the movable rails; rods supported on the blocks for supporting skeins to be dyed; the rear Wall of the tank having an opening at the bottom for admitting a liquid into the tank; and a bottom under the opening and under the lower stationary rails, the bottom being inclined upwards toward the front portion of the tank, the rear Wall having an opening at the top for exhausting the liquid.

ERNEST A. STIENEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Free Nov. 21, 1882 Printz 1 Oct. 29, 1901 Ryan Aug. 30, 1904 Ashley Apr. 28, 1908 Ftton July 12, 1910 ODoWd May 29, 1917 Dursteller Jan. 27, 1920 Grundy Aug. 30, 1921 Dudley Dec. 16, 1924 Schlumpf May 10, 1927 Gloekler Apr. 30, 1929 Sippel June 27, 1933 

